1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to filters for use in conjunction with valves of the faucet or spigot type, and particularly to filters for use in devices for withdrawing liquids from containers at relatively low pressures, such as gravity feed jugs, ice chests, collapsible travel bags, or coolers, and the like.
2. Description of Related Art
Since a jug may provide a source of readily accessible drinking water, the purity of the water dispensed from it is of major concern. The need to have the jug serve as a reliable source of drinkable water becomes important to the large group of users drinking from the jug, or when the water is obtained from a questionable source.
Filtered water filter containers, such as jugs or pitchers, generally comprise a receptacle and a removable hopper, which the hopper can be supported in or on the receptacle. The hopper is adapted to carry a water filter cartridge which typically comprises a molded container having inlet and outlet slots formed therein to allow water to enter and exit an internal cavity.
Most water filter containers, such as countertop pitchers, include a divider that separates the jug into two compartments. The divider is generally adapted to carry a water treatment device, such as a filter cartridge. The divider is typically positioned in use so that it divides the container into an upper compartment and a lower compartment. Water filter pitchers of this type have been available in the art. For example, WIPO Publication WO 1998005401 of Robinson, et al., titled “A Water Treatment Cartridge and a Water Filter Jug Fitted with such a Cartridge,” teaches a water filter pitcher with a divider. In this prior art design, the spout has a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the lower compartment, which is the compartment with the filtered water.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,181,243 issued to Frahm on Jan. 1, 1980, titled “Device for Filtering Beverages,” a filter element is provided at the inlet of a spigot for dispensing beverages from a reservoir or cooler. The filter receiving member or holder is an open, cup-shaped member which is threaded to the inlet shaft of the spigot to act as a fastener for mounting the spigot to the reservoir. The filter element is then inserted into the filter holder by a push fit, and removed therefrom by pulling it out of the cup-shaped member. In this design, however, the filter cartridge is relatively small, and it would have to be even smaller if it were adapted to a water jug, where the outlet tap is located as near as possible to the bottom portion of the container, since the radius of the cup-shaped holder would have to be a little smaller than the distance from the center of the tubular faucet stem to the bottom wall.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,491,520 issued to Jaye on Jan. 1, 1985, titled “Filter For Water Jugs,” a filter for a conventional water jug is taught having a valve tap near the bottom of its cylindrical side wall, in a pan-like case member that seats in the bottom of the jug, with a filter cartridge removably sealed across its open top. Confined between a nut and the inner surface of the jug side wall are a rigid washer and a resilient annular gasket that cooperate with the nut to seal a faucet to the side wall. The washer, which lies adjacent to the nut, is of larger diameter than the nut and thus defines an annular shoulder that faces into the interior of the jug and beyond which the threaded inner end portion of the faucet stem projects inward relative to the jug. The case member has a substantially flat bottom case wall and a low side case wall that projects up from the bottom case wall. The side case wall has at its upper edge a radially outwardly projecting flange that extends completely around it and lies in a single plane, for supporting the filter cartridge and forming a seal to it. The outside diameter of the case member is such that it is receivable within the interior of the jug with a small clearance from its side wall.
In these prior art designs, the filtering mechanism is attached to a spigot, and designed specifically for granular filter media, which limits the ability to incorporate novel filter housings and diverse filter media within a jug container, ice chest, cooler, and the like.
Furthermore, the design and attachment of a filter cartridge housing within these types of containers that would accommodate an existing spigot and gasket design has not been explored or developed in the prior art.